A tent is pitched in front of the destroyed Nada Towers as Palestinians return to the area to inspect what remains of their homes, Aug. 11, 2014, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip (AFP Mahmud Hams)

The Palestinian ministry in Ramallah is currently estimating damages through the formation of a committee, which is due to release its report by the end of this week, Mustafa said.

Over 30,000 homes were damaged by Israeli airstrikes and shelling, with around 450,000 Palestinians displaced during the conflict.

The water distribution network in Gaza has suffered $34.4 million worth of damage as a result of the Israeli offensive, with over seven kilometers (4.3 miles) of sewage networks completely destroyed.

The Food and Agriculture Organization on Thursday warned that the Israeli assault on Gaza had caused extensive damage to the coastal enclave's agricultural sector and would have long-term consequences.

Mustafa explained that the PA is currently suffering from a $1.2 billion budget deficit as well as debts of over $4.2 billion.

Palestinian officials have estimated that they need up to $6 billion to fix hospitals, roads, schools, water facilities, and factories hit by shelling and bombing.

James Rawley, the UN's resident and humanitarian coordinator, warned last week that failure to lift the Israeli blockade could cause more conflict in Gaza in the future.

If the measures are not removed, "not only will we see very little in the way of reconstruction, but I am afraid that the conditions are in place for us to have another round of violence like we're seeing now."

1 ) Mark of Lewiston / USA

18/08/2014 14:08

So long as Israel controls anything in or about Gaza, the costs should be born entirely by Israel. The US is $$ trillions in debt for Iraq and Afghanistan and nobody is offering to pay those US costs. It is doubtful that anybody in the US will want to raise US taxes to pay to reconstruct Gaza when it can be blown up again at will. Most in the US want to cut off all aid to the PA and UNRWA.

2 ) David / USA

18/08/2014 14:37

And the 'brains' at Hamas didn't expect this to happen? In a sane world, most people would say, "They made their bed, now let them sleep in it."
I can already hear the gears of Haniyeh's warped brain spinning, thinking up ways to skim as much donor money for himself as he can. He's a war criminal and should be arrested and jailed. How the people of Gaza can let him exist is beyond rational thought.
Rawley is a useful idiot. Blaming Israel instead of the rocket launchers!

3 ) Outlier / USA

18/08/2014 18:06

Hamas must be able to afford the expense, otherwise it would never have precipitated and prolonged this conflict.

4 ) SHIRLEY / CLAY

18/08/2014 18:26

WELL TIME THE UN STOPPED ITS DIRTY HYPOCRISY PUSHING LIES ABOUT TERRORISTS LIKE IT PUSHED THE US NATO DIRTY LIES ABOUT LIBYA AND GADDFHI AND SACK UN PEACE ENVOY BLAIR SEEMS THE UN IS HAPPY COLLABORATING IN THE GENOCIDE OF SUNNIS AND HARBOURING WAR CRIMINALS HOW ABOUT UN DOING SOMETHING DECENT FOR A CHANGE AND EXPOSE US LIES WARMONGERING INSTEAD OF HAPPY PATRTNERDEMAND EGYPT AND ISREAL LIFT BLOCKADE WAR CRIME

5 ) Captain / Obvious

18/08/2014 19:11

Thanks!

6 ) louise / Canada

19/08/2014 03:05

Pay reparations and take down the walls.

7 ) Mel / USA

19/08/2014 04:28

And of course,the one to PAY for all that LATEST pointless,regressive,destruction is going to be ISRAEL,right Obama?After you impose the economic/military/interest-free loan guarantee- EMBARGO on Israel & stop the ALL CHECKS to our defunct 1950's colonial-proxy Zio-boys for COUNTLESS war crimes &cruel,indecent,degrading COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT war crimes on MILLIONS of non-Jews. Right Obama?How often do you have to be TOLD to do the darn job your SWORE an oath to commit POTUS public-service to?

8 ) Azad / USA

19/08/2014 04:36

Cut all aid to Israel . Boycott ,divest, sanction Israel until it give back occupied Palestinian land

9 ) Dimi / Germany

19/08/2014 11:13

This is the formula for sharing costs of reconstraction: 1/3 goes to Hamas
because it started the escalation,1/3 PA because it is impotend to
control Hamas with whom they "created" a united government.1/3 to
Israel because not everything what it is doing is acceptable. The Gazans
to pay nothing because they paid already the bill with people they lost
and houses that have been destroyd.

10 ) h / h

22/08/2014 17:23

that means more? or less politicians stealing money from donations

Name

Country

Comment

Characters

Note: Comments will be reviewed for appropriate content. Click here for more details.